Our thanks to the Animal Legal Defense Fund for permission to republish this article by ALDF executive director Stephen Wells.

David Tant of Charleston County, South Carolina was reportedly considered by the underground dogfighting community to be one of the top breeders of fighting pit bulls in the country. In April 2004, authorities seized 47 pit bulls from Tant’s property, many with injuries consistent with dogfighting. They found dogfighting equipment: caged treadmills, a “rape box” (designed to restrain female dogs so that they can be forcibly bred), cattle prods, harnesses, a bear trap, homemade gun silencers, dogfighting magazines and remnants of a dogfighting ring.

In November 2004, after two days of a jury trial, the defendant pleaded guilty to four counts of animal fighting and one count of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for animal fighting, 10 years in prison for creating a booby trap, and restitution of about $150,000.

On July 21, 2010, six years into his 30 year sentence, Tant was granted his first parole hearing in front of three members of the seven-member parole board. He was not required to go in front of the full parole board because, shockingly, his is considered a non-violent offense. The vote was split 2-1 in favor of parole. Because the partial board did not reach a unanimous decision, Tant will go in front of the full board on September 8.

Comments

If you own a pet Dog would you like somebody to torture that animal? What has manâ€™s best friend done to man kind to deserve such inhumane treatment. No animal should be tortured for the pleasure of man kind. Please donâ€™t grant parole to David Tant.

"Service Animal" Scammers (New Yorker): An increasing number of your neighbors have been keeping company with their pets in human-only establishments simply by claiming that the creatures are their licensed companion animals and are necessary to their mental well-being.